The present invention relates to a unique and novel product and a unified method of making the same and more particularly to a crest supported filter frame assembly and a series of unified steps in the method of manufacturing the novel crest supported filter frame assembly. The present invention has particular utility in the filtration of fluid filters and more specifically in the filtration of air streams.
Recent U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,776, issued to Kyung-Ju Choi on May 15, 2001 discloses a unit pleated filter frame assembly (FIGS. 5 and 6) with the pleat crests thereof adhesively fastened to flexible tape strips 36 and with stiffening strips 38 being fastened to strips 38. In fact, FIG. 3 of prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,767, issued to S. B. Linnersten on Mar. 24, 1992 broadly teaches the use of strips “S” of hot melt adhesive applied to successive filter micropleats to hold such pleats in position when the filter is in use.
Further, a number of still earlier patents disclose various structural arrangements for supporting filter medium pleats—attention being directed to FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,740, issued to U. Michaelis, et al on Dec. 1, 1992; to FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,944, issued to T. A. Justice on Jul. 21, 1998; to FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,450, issued to R. R. Raber on Jun. 13, 2000; and, to the several unit pleated filter arrangements disclosed in the Kyung-Ju Choi and Choi, et al U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,318, issued Dec. 12, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,653, issued Jul. 3, 2001; and, U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,839, issued Jun. 4, 2002.
In addition to these several aforenoted prior art unit filter assemblies, attention is directed to U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,244 issued to Kyung-Ju Choi on Dec. 26, 2000, which teaches the broad principle of filter medium fibers oriented to be aligned with the direction of fluid stream flow; and, to U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,645, issued to W. F. Murphy, Jr. on Oct. 13,1998, which broadly teaches gradient fiber density including layers of low and high denier fibers.
The present invention, recognizing some of the limitations and problems of the prior art—including the several arrangement set forth in the aforenoted patents—provides a unique and novel fluid filter assembly which includes a filter frame member and a filter medium disposed therein—the present invention further providing several unique steps which can be included as part of the several steps in the method of manufacturing the unique fluid filter assembly.
In accordance with the present invention, a novel arrangement is provided which includes a fluid filter frame assembly structure which can be efficiently and economically manufactured and assembled and which is stable and efficient in installation and operation. The present novel arrangement requires a minimum of operating parts and the novel embodiment results in a minimum of treated fluid stream interference with a minimum fluid stream pressure drop. The unique arrangement of the present invention, recognizes and resolves problems of past fluid filter assembly arrangements including fluid stream interference and fluid stream diversions accompanied by possible concomitant flaking and peeling resulting through an excess of crest fastening materials.
In this regard, the present invention optimizes utilization of a minimum fastening area, reducing the requirement for crest stabilizing materials and the manufacturing steps to be employed—at the same time, minimizing the fluid stream pressure drop during fluid treatment operations. In addition, the present invention provides a fibrous filter medium which is not only efficient in the filtration of particulate materials from a treated fluid stream such as air, but also allows for odor and some volatile organic compounds (VOC) reduction and provides for a fiber arrangement which assures the pleat folding formation of thin, narrow, and sharp upstream and downstream crest folds.
Various other features of the present invention will become obvious to one skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth herein.